Portable electronic devices such as smart phones and tablets have become ubiquitous in everyday life, allowing users to monitor and share their personal everyday experiences with their friends or the world. This includes sharing photos, videos, music, messages and just about all other aspects of daily life. Becoming ever more prevalent are personal sensor devices that monitor fitness and health and allow the wearer to track and share exercise, diet and sleep habits or to monitor it via a smart device. Furthermore, there are social media sites, like Facebook™ and Instagram™ that allow users to share every aspect of their daily lives, from the moment they awake in the morning until they sleep at night. Some user voluntarily share this information on social media sites, such as Facebook™ Instagram™ or Twitter™ while others only wish to share it with a close network of friends or to keep it private. Unfortunately, there are many people who look to exploit this available personal information for various purposes, including identify theft, stalking, bullying, etc. This is often a result of unsecure data transmissions, computer hacking of devices, storage media or interception of unsecure data in transit. Further, it is often the case that the user loses control and ownership of their data.
Accordingly, a need exists for a device, system and method for collecting, storing and transmitting secure personal information with the ability to securely share it on a limited or wide basis. Further, it is necessary to have a system where a user can keep and control data in a private manner and selectively share it when and with whomever they choose. Further, there is a need for a system and service wherein the user maintains the ownership of the data.
Social media usage continues to expand and users look to share not only their personal comments and photos, but their interactions with the surroundings and their environment. To do this personal sensors are being developed that allow users to monitor and share eating, sleeping, and exercise habits. There are also numerous wireless sensors and home automation devices that allow users to monitor and control temperature, humidity, ambient light, etc. Many of these sensors communicate through various applications over Wi-Fi or the internet and allow users to monitor these sensors and often control lights, thermostats, alarms, etc. The various sensors involved are often bulky, consume large amounts of power and are often aesthetically unpleasing. Additionally these sensors often do not protect the data they collect and share and are vulnerable to monitoring and interception because the collected data is intended to be transmitted outside a closed environment. Accordingly, a need exists for a sensor and system that is secure, utilizes low power, is aesthetically pleasing, expandable, manages privacy through the use of a personal hardware gateway, allows a user to designate privacy setting on a granular basis, and allows a user to share information in a social environment.